The doctrine of skillful means (upāya) in the Lotus Sutra presents the Buddha as a teacher who adapts his words and methods to the varying capacities, needs, and circumstances of living beings. Rather than offering a single, rigid presentation of truth, the Buddha employs a range of teachings that may appear different or even contradictory on the surface. These are described as expedient or provisional, not because they are malicious deceptions, but because they are partial disclosures suited to particular stages of spiritual development. In this way, the sutra portrays the Buddha’s teaching activity as dynamic and responsive, grounded in a deep understanding of how different minds can be led toward awakening.

A central theme is the distinction between provisional teachings and ultimate truth. The Lotus Sutra asserts that many earlier discourses were given as expedient means, stepping stones rather than the final revelation of the Buddha’s intention. At the heart of that intention lies the “one Buddha vehicle” (ekayāna), the single, supreme path that culminates in complete Buddhahood. The familiar three vehicles—śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva—are thus reinterpreted as skillful devices, not separate final destinations. All Buddhas, according to the sutra, employ such means so that beings who believe they are pursuing limited goals are in fact being quietly guided toward the fullness of Buddhahood.

The parables of the Lotus Sutra give this doctrine vivid narrative form. In the parable of the burning house, a father promises his children three different carts to lure them away from danger, only to bestow upon them a single magnificent cart once they are safe; the three promised carts symbolize provisional teachings, while the great cart represents the one Buddha vehicle. Similarly, the parable of the phantom city depicts a guide who conjures an illusory resting place to encourage weary travelers, then leads them beyond it to the true treasure, suggesting that certain teachings are like temporary refuges that must eventually be surpassed. These images underscore that such expedients are “true enough” at their own level, even though they are not the final word.

Underlying all of this is the sutra’s portrayal of the Buddha’s compassionate wisdom. Skillful means arise from great compassion and are directed toward a single, unifying purpose: the awakening of all beings to their inherent capacity for Buddhahood. By tailoring teachings to different temperaments and karmic conditions, the Buddha ensures that no one is excluded from the path, even if the route taken seems indirect or graded. The universality of Buddhahood is thus inseparable from the Buddha’s willingness to speak in many voices, using whatever methods will most effectively lead beings, step by step, to the realization of the ultimate truth.